Control apparatus for printing machines



May 1940. w. c. WlEKlNG ET AL. 2.200316 CONTROL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 24, 1956 m\ m 5 m -m mwfi Patented May 14, 1940 CONTROL APPARATUS FOR PRINTING MACHINES William C. lWieking, Woodhaven, and August Baumgartner, Hollis, N. Y., assignors to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 24, 1936, SerialNo. 117,446

3 Claims. (o 101-368) which will appear as the description proceeds, the

This invention relates to printing machines of the rotary cylinder type and more particularly to an improvement in such machines generally, consisting in the provision of a guard for the plate cylinder adapted and arranged in respect thereto whereby the machinemay be operated with greater efiiciency and safety;

The invention is especially applicable to print ing machines having plate cylinders upon which plates are i'emovably mounted. and which are provided with plate clamping mechanism of the type wherein a removable wrench or operating handle is used to actuate the same, and which is insertable into clamp actuating position substantially radially with respect to the cylinder. Such a type of mechanism is shown in H. .V. Ball Patent No. -2,066,192 granted December 29, 1936, and herein this invention is shown and described as being appliedin cooperation and combination therewith. v One oithe objects of thisinvention is to provide in a printing machine a plate cylinder guard which is movable from one position, wherein it permits the operation of a plate clamping mechanism and. prevents machine operation, to another wherein the machine is permitted to be operated.

Another object is to provide a guard of the above nature for the plate cylinder of a printing machine, which when moved from one position, will actuate a suitable machine control to prevent operation of the machine and when in another position will permit operation of the machine.

A further object is to provide a guard for the plate cylinder of a printing machine which is adapted to be moved by a plate should the same become detached from the machine, and by such movement stop the machine.

A still further object is to provide in a printing machine of the above type the combination of a swingable plate cylinder guard and an electrical switch adapted to be actuated by the guard when it is swung from its plate embracing position, to stop the machine and prevent its further operation under normal control, until the guard is again disposed in its normal operable position.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a plate cylinder guard and control for a printing machine, of generally improved construction, whereby the same will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical,. serviceable and eflicient in its use. I

With the foregoing andother objects in view,

invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of cons struction hereinafter described and claimed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where in: I

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a portion of a printing machine showing the, ends of a printing unit comprising two pairs of plate and impression cylinders and to which the features of this invention are applied, for cooperation with the plate cylinders and shown in different operable positions on each; and

Figure 2 is a face View of one of the plate cylinders looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure 1.

The printing machine, a portion of which is illustrated in Figure 1, includes two cooperating pairs, of plate and impression cylinders I li.2 and 53-44 respectively with suitable ink applying rollers E5 in operable association with each plate cylinder. The cylinders and rollers are journaled in suitable opposing machine frames it. A web ll is threaded between the respective cylinders of each pair and runs from a guide roller E8 to the first pair I! and I2 and from the second pair [3 and it into the remaining portions of the machine. As fully disclosed in the above referred to Patent No, 2,066,192, each plategcy'linder' has a plurality of plates I9 clamped upon the cylinder periphery by axially movable clamping members 2! moved into clamping position by a rockable member (not shown) which is adapted to be actuated by a manually operable wrench or tool 22 insertable into a socket in a swingable member 24 operably connected to the rockable clamp actuating member, substantially radially in respect to the respective cylinder.

As shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, a motor 25 for driving the printing machine is connected to the line wires LI and L2 by conduc tors 25 and 21, the conductor 2'! being interrupted by a switch 28 operable by a solenoid 29 to close the circuit. The coil of the solenoid 29 is connected to the line wire Li by a conductor tland through a conductor 32, a normally open switch 33 having an actuating lever 34, a conductor 55, a circuit switch 36, anda conductor 35 to the line wire L2. The switch 36 shows in elementary form, a means for stopping and starting the machine. Such means is usually located within easy reach of the machine operator. Herein the switch 33 is arranged to close the circuit between the conductors 32 and 35 when the lever 34 is depressed, and being adapted to maintain this circuit normally open when the lever is released.

Guards 3'! and 31' are provided, which are hingedly mounted upon shafts 38 and 38 secured to and extending between the frames It. The guards 31 and 37 are arranged to extend up and over the plate cylinders I3 and II respectively and are curved about the respective cylinders to embrace an exposed face portion thereof. The switch 33 is mounted upon one of the frames 56 in position to have its actuating lever 34 engaged by a portion of the guard 31 above the axis of the shaft 38 when the guard is moved into position adjacent the cylinder and depress the lever 34 to close the circuit as shown at the left in Figure 1 relative to the cylinder I I. This action will energize the solenoid 29 and close the motor control switch 28, whereby the motor 25 may be operated to drive the machine and rotate the cylinders II, I2, I3 and I4. Swinging the guard 31 away from the cylinder, as shown at the right in Figure 1 relative to the cylinder I3, permits the actuating lever 34 to be released, whereby the circuit is opened and the solenoid 29 is deenergized and opens the switch 28 to prevent or interrupt the operation of the motor 25.

The guard 31 is arranged to cover the entire length of the plate cylinder at its exposed face portion and therefore the socket in which the wrench or clamp mechanism operating tool 22 is insertable, is covered when the guard is in operative position and prevents the tool 22 being used, Upon swinging the guard 31 to sufiiciently uncover the socket for the insertion of the tool 22 to actuate the clamping mechanism, the switch 33 will be actuated to open the circuit as above described. This arrangement prevents the starting of the machine while a tool 22 is in position to actuate the clamps,'as the guard 31 cannot be moved sufiiciently to actuate the switch 33 until the tool 22 is removed from its socket. The guard 31 also acts as an automatic stop means for the machine, should a plate break and be thrown from the cylinder whereupon it would move the guard 31 away from the cylinder and release the actuating lever 34.

A similar switch 33 is shown in the drawing arranged in engagement with the guard 31', but the wiring of this switch has been omitted-for the sake of clearness. It will be understood that this switch and (as in the case of a multi-unit printing machine), any additional switches em.- ployed will all be connected in series with the switch 33' and serve to interrupt the circuit through the solenoid 29 when any one of the guards is swung away from the cylinder.

Another advantage of the above described structure and arrangement resides in the switches 33 and 33' being exposed so as to permit manual operation when the guards 31 and 31 are swung to their down position, as shown in respect to guard 3! at the right hand side of Figure 1. This permits the operator to start the machine and run it momentarily with a guard down, to move the cylinder I3, a part of a revolution, and into position whereby a plate l9 may be conveniently applied thereto. For instance, after applying one plate I9 to the cylinder I3, the operator, due to the accessibility of the switch 33, when the guard 31 is down may depress its operating lever 34 and by simultaneously operating the starting switch 36 cause the cylinder I3 to rotate, while the lever 34 is depressed. This obviates the necessity for raising the guard every time it is desired to move the printing cylinders slightly. The

machine, however, cannot be operated normally thereof, and it is therefore desired that the pres- I out embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will-be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What we claim is: I

1. In a rotary printing machine having a plate cylinder, rotary inking mechanism cooperating with and having components engaging the plate cylinder, an impression cylinder operably engaging the plate cylinder, the plate cylinder, impression cylinder and inking mechanism being constructed and arranged to expose a plating area at the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder which is normally accessible for securing and removing plates from the cylinder and adjusting the plates thereon, a plurality of plates re movably secured to the plate cylinder, a motor to rotate the plate cylinder; a control for said motor including a circuit interrupter having an actuating lever, an arcuate guard plate pivotally supported at one longitudinal edge to be swung over said cylinder to cylinder-covering position in substantially concentric relation thereto and movable about its pivotal support away from the cylinder to cylinder-exposing position, said guard plate being at least of sumcient length and area to substantially cover or guard the said plating area of the plate cylinder to thereby cover the plates on the plating area of the plate cylinder, said actuating lever being disposed in the path of the said guard plate to be engaged thereby-to close the said circuit when the guard plate is in cylinder-covering position to close the said electric circuit to permit operation of the said motor, the actuating lever immediately moving to circuit-breaking position during the. initial movement of the guard plate in its movement about its pivotal support away from the cylinder toward cylinder-exposing position, the guard plate being yieldably movable away from cylinder-covering position and when moved from cylinder,covering position disengaging the actuating lever and exposing itfor convenient manual operation.

2. In a rotary printing machine having a plate cylinder, rotary inking mechanism cooperating with and having components engaging the plate cylinder, an impression cylinder operably engaging the plate cylinder, the plate cylinder, impression cylinder and inking mechanism being constructed and arranged to expose a plating area at the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder which is normally accessible for securing plates to and removing them from the cylinder and adjusting the plates thereon, a plurality of plates supported by the plate cylinder, plate clamping mechanism operably supported by the cylinder to secure the plates to the plate cylinder, a radially extending socket pivotally secured to the cylinder and operably connected with the plate clamping mechanism to operate the plate clamping mechanism by the pivotal movement of the said socket, the socket receiving therein a removable radially-extending operating tool, a motor to rotate the plate cylinder; a control for said motor including a circuit interrupter having an actuating lever, an arcuate guard plate pivotally sup ported at one longitudinal edge to be swung over said cylinder to cylinder-covering position in substantially concentric relation thereto and movable about its pivotal support away from the cylinder to cylinder-exposing position, said guard plate being at least of suflicient length and area to substantially cover or guard the said plating area of the plate cylinder to thereby cover the plates on the plating area of the plate cylinder, said actuating lever being disposed in the path of the said guard plate to'be engaged thereby to close the said circuit when the guard plate is in cylinder-covering position to close the said elec tric circuit to permit operation of the said motor, the actuating lever immediately moving to circuit-breaking position during initial movement of the guard plate in its movement about its pivotal support away from the cylinder towards cylinderexposing position, the guard plate being yieldably movable away from cylinder-covering position and then moved away from cylinder-covering position disengaging the actuating lever and exposing it for convenient manual operation, the presence of the said radially-extending operating tool in its receiving socket preventing the movement of the guard plate to cylinder-covering position.

3. In a rotary printing machine having a plate cylinder, rotary inking mechanism cooperating with and having components engaging the plate cylinder, an impression cylinder operably engaging the plate cylinder, the plate cylinder; impression cylinder and inking mechanism being constructed and arranged to expose'a plating area at the peripheral portion of the plate cylinder which is normally accessible for securing plates to and removing them from the cylinder and adjusting the plates thereon, a plurality of plates supported by the plate cylinder, plate-clamping mechanism operably supported by the cylinder to secure the plates to the plate cylinder, a radiallyextending socket. pivotally secured to the cylinder and operably connected with the plate-clamping mechanism to operate the plate-clamping mechanism by the pivotal movement of the said socket, the socket receiving therein a removable radiallyextending operating tool, a motor to rotate the plate cylinder; a control for said motor including a circuit interrupter having an actuating plates on the plating area of the plate cylinder,

said actuating lever being disposed in the path of the said guard plate to be engaged thereby to close the said circuit when the guard plate is in cyli11d er covering position to close the said electric circuit to permit operation of the said motor, the actuating lever immediately moving to circuit-breaking position during initial movement of the guard plate in its movement about its pivotal support away from the cylinder towards cylinder-exposing position, the guard plate being yieldably movable away from cylinder-covering position responsive to the impact of a printing plate or portion thereof and when moved from cylinder-covering position disengaging the actuating lever to stop the press, the presence of the said radially-extending operating tool in its receiving socket preventing the movement of the guard plate to cylinder-covering position.

WILLIAM C. WIEKING. AUGUST BAUMGARTNER. 

